Spectacle case



Jan. zo, 1959 R. G. DE wEEgE 2,869,605

SPECTACLE CASE Filed April 5, 1956 '/f IN1/EN TOR. l2 ROBE/P7 G DE WE E 5E" TTURIVEY SPECTACLE CASE Robert G. de Weese, Rochester, N. Y., assignor,

mesne assignments, to Textron Inc., a corporation of Rhode Isiand Application April 5, 1956, Serial No. 576,305 9 Claims. (Cl. 150--52) by Providence, R. I.,

The present invention relates to spectacle cases, and more particularly to open-end spectacle cases made of a thin, flexible material, such as soft leather or a synthetic.

Conventional open-end spectacle cases are made of two pieces of leather, or like material, sewn together around three edges, the upper confronting edges of the two pieces being left unsewn to form a lmouth for insertion of the spectacle into the case. The sewing does not lend itself to a mass-production operation. Moreover, in the course of time, the thread may rot and unravel. Furthermore, the single thin layer of material, such as leather, of the conventional open-end spectacle case ordinarily affords limited protection against breakage if the spectacle case is dropped with a spectacle in it. For that reason, spectacles having lenses mounted in a metal chassis are ordinarily carried in a hard, closed spectacle case.

One object of the present invention is to provide an open end spectacle case which can be made without stitching.

Another object of the invention is to provide an open end spectacle case which has additional layers of the material, from which it is made, around the spectacle to give additional protection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spectacle case of the character described which has no clips or tabs or slots on its inside, nothing for the spectacle to catch on.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a spectacle case of the character described so formed that it has a slot at one side which allows a person to reach down with his or her ngers far enoughto remove the spectacle readily from the case or to push it into the case. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a spectacle case of the character described which is so constructed and shaped as to provide a natural hand grip.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a spectacle case which can readily be made of two different colors of leather or other suitable material so as to provide a two-tone effect. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide a spectacle case of the character described which will be economical to manufacture. l

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital ofthe appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view of a leather blank such as may be used in making a spectacle case according to one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view indicating in dotted lines the blank and showing in full lines the blank partially folded;

Fig. 3 is a view of one side of the completely folded case;

Fig. 4 is a view looking at the other side of the cornv pletely folded case;

Fig. 5 is a view looking at one side edge of the case, the case being shown partly spread open to receive a spectacle;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view of a blank for forming a `two-tone atent spectacle case according to another modification of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. l to 6 inclusive, 10 denotes a blank for a spectacle case made according to one embodiment of this invention. This blank comprises two main portions 11 and 12 formed from a single piece of leather or other suitable thin flexible material. The portion 11 is generally trapezoidal in shape but its free end is preferably shaped to have edge portions 14 which converge to an apex 15 that lies on the line of fold, or score line, 16 of f this portion. Portion 11 can be folded along line 16 to 4 form the side walls 35 and 35 of the spectacle case.

The portion 12 of the blank has a generally rectangular central section 18 and two wing sections 19 and 20. The blank is slotted so that the wing section 19 is spaced, when the blank is laid out flat as shown in Fig. 1, from the wall portion 35. The wing section 19 has side edges 21 and 22 which converge toward the free edge 23 of this wing section. Edge 22 of the wing section 19 diverges, when the blank is laid flat, from the adjacent edge 24 of wall portion 35. Slits 25 are formed in thisv Wing section 19. These slits converge toward the central section 1S of the blank.

The wing section 20 has converging edges 27 and 28 that converge away from the central section 18. The wing sections 2t) terminates in two laterally projecting tabs 3i) which are adapted to be engaged in the slits 25 of the Wing section 19 when the blank is folded to form the spectacle case.

1n forming the spectacle case, the trapezoidal portion 11 of the blank is first folded along the line 16 to form the two equal overlapping wall portions and 35. Then the blank is folded along the line 36 so that the folded portions 35 and 35 both overlie the central section 18 of the portion 12 of the blank between the wings 19 and 20, as shown in Fig. 2. Then the wing 19 is folded along the line 37 (Fig. l) over the wall 35'; and then the wing 20 is folded along the line 38 (Fig. l) to extend over the folded wing 19, and the tongues 30 of wing 20- are inserted into the slits 25 of wing 19 to lock the case in its folded condition (Fig. 3). Notches 39 (Fig. l) are formed at the junctures of the tongues or ears 30 with the sides 27 and 28 of the wing section 2t) to engage lockingly in the ends 40 of the slits 25; and notches 41 l formed at the junctures of the outer edges of the tongues I as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, stapled together.

or ears 30 with the wing section 20 permit ready entry of the tongues or ears 3l) into the slits Z5 Without bunching up the material.

The height of the wing section 20 along the open side of the folded trapezoidal portion 11 is less than the height of the walls 35, 3S so that an opening 45 is left in the folded case which with the open upper end of the case permits ready insertion of a spectacle into or removal of the spectacle from the folded case. The sloped edges 14 of the walls 35, 35 are inclined downwardly toward the open side 45 of the case to guide the spectacle as it is inserted in the opening.

Instead of making the case in a single piece, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, it may be made in two pieces, The piece 11 may be similar in shape to the portion 11 of the case 10 previously described, and the piece 12 may be similar in shape to the portion 12 of the case 10. The two pieces 11 and 12' are stapled or clipped together by wire staples or clips 39 along their contacting edges, as

shown clearly in Fig. 8.

The manner of folding the spectacle case of Fig. 7 is,

juncture 36 of the two pieces. Then the wing 19 will j Patented Jan. 20, 1959 asesinos be folded over the folded 'piece 11 and the wing 20 will then be folded over the wing i9 and the ears or tongues 3G' of the wing 2o will be inserted into the slits 25' of wing 19 to lock the case in 'closed position. A

With the structure shown in Figs. 7 and 8,`it i's possible to make a two-toned case, 'one piece il being made of one color and/ 'or kind of material and the other piece 12' being 'made of another color and/ or kind 'of material. There will bel'ess wastage of leather with the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 'than with the constructionjshown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. y l

VWhile the invention has been described in coi'i'nection with two different embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application isinte'nded t'o cover any variations, uses, or

'adaptations 0f the invention following, in general, the principles of 'the invention and including such departures from 'the present disclosure as come within known or custoinry practice in the art to which 'the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefo'r'e set forth and as fall within lthe scope of the invention or the limits of the `appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

1. A spectacle case comprising a first section and a second section, said first section being folded along a longitudinal line to form two side wails of said case, one of which o'verlies the other', said second section being folded along two parallel, spaced longitudinally-eittending lines to provide a 'centi-al portion and two wings, said central portion and one 'of the side walls of said first section being joined together at one end of each, said sections being otherwise disconnected, said sections being folded on eah other along the line of juncture of said central portion and said one side wall to form the bottom of said case and so' that said central portion overlies said one side wall, said two wings being folded over the other side wall of `said first section whereby said second section surrounds said irstsection, and means for securing said wings together to hold the case in its folded condition. Y

2. A spectacle case comprising two sections joined togetheralong a transverse fold line, said sections being folded along said fold line to form the bottom of said case, the top of said case being open, one of said sections being folded along a longitudinal line to form who side walls of said case, the other section being folded along two parallel, spaced longitudinally-extending lines to provide a central portion overlying one of said side walls and two wings overlying the other side wall, and means for securing said wings together to hold the case in its folded condition, the height of said other section at `the portion which overlaps the free edges of said walls being less than the height of said walls at said edges whereby an opening is provided at one side edge of said case which joins the opening at the upper end of said case.

3. A pectacle case compising two sections joined together along a transverse fold line, said sections being folded along said fold line to form the bottom of said case, the top of said case being open, one of said sections being foldedl along a longitudinal line to form two side walls of said case, the other section being folded along two parallel, spaced longitudinally-extending lines to provide a central portion overlying one of said side Walls and two wings overlying the other side wall, one of said wings having a slit in it, and the other of said wings having a locking tongue which is inserted in said slit to hold the case in folded condition, the height of said other section at the portion which overlaps the free edges of said walls being less than the height of said walls at said edges whereby an opening is provided along said free edges which joins the opening at the upper edge of the case.

4. A spectaclecase comprising two sections made,

respectively, of different materials, one of said sections being folded along a longitudinal line te forni die tivo side Walls of said case which `overlie `one another, the other section being folded along two parallel, spaced longitudinally-extending lines to form a central portion and two wings, said central portion being joined at one end to one end of the one of said twoy side walls, said two sections being otherwise separated, the two sections being folded on one another along the line of junet'ure of "said central portion and said one side wall to form the bottom of said case, said case being open at its top, said other section being wrapped around said side walls, and means for securing sai-d other section in its wrapped-around position.

5. A spectacle case comprising two sections of different materials, respectively, one of said sections being folded along a longitudinal line to form the two side walls of said case which overlie one another, the other section being foldedalong two spaced, parallel, loiigitul- Y dinally-eiitending lines vto provide a central portion vand to one end of one of said two'side walls, `said two sec# tions being otherwise separated, the two lsections being folded on one another along the line of juncture of said central portion and said one side wall t'o forni the bottoni of said case and so that said central portion over-v lies said one side wall, said two wings being folded over the other side wall, one of said wings having a slit in it, and the other of said Wings having a locking tongue which is inserted in said slit to hold the case in folded condition, said 'case being open at its top. A j

6. A spectacle case as claimed in claim 4, in which the'maxirnu'm height of said wrapped around portion, at the free edges of said walls, is less than the heightof said side walls at said free edges, whereby an` opening is provided at one side edge ofthe case thatjoins the opening at the top of the case for ready insertion into and removal of a spectacle from the case. Y ,y

7. A spectacle case according to claim 5l in which the height of said other section at the portion thereof, which overlaps the free edges ofsaid walls, is less than the height of said walls at said free edges, whereby an 'open'- ing is provided along said free edgesY which joins the opening at the 'top of said case, and which permits ready insertion into or removal from the case of a speetacle.

8. A spectacle case comprising `a single piece 4of thin ileitible material formed in two main sections, 'one of 'said j sections being folded along a central longitudinal liiie to form two side walls of the case, one of which `overlies the other, the other section being folded along par# allel, spaced longitudinally-extending lines to provide a central portion and two wings, said two sections being joined together only at the adjacent ends of said central portion and one side wall and being folded upon one another at said juncture to form the bottom of said and so that Vsaid central portion overlies said one side wail, Vsaid wings overlying the other side wall, whereby said other section is wrapped around said 'one section, and means for securing said other section in its wrappedai'ound position, said oase being open at its top;

9. A spectacle case according to claim 8 in which the maximum height of the wrapped-around section, 'at the portion thereof which overlaps the free edges of said walls, is less than the height of said walls at said free edges, whereby an opening is provided along said free edges which joins the opening at the top of the case, and which permits ready insertion into and removal from the case of a spectacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTEo sfArs rArEnrs two wings, said central portion being joined at one 'end 

